Progress or not?

Hi everyone. I'm new here and would appreciate some advice.

Backstory (can skip if you want)

I'm in my mid twenties, female, 5'6, and last year I weighed 80 kgs and went down 10 kgs in 3 months through pure self saboteur. I exercised 5-6 times a week, mixed it up with cardio and strength training for about 2 hours minimum, and would basically starve myself. I went down two sizes as well. People saw the change and applauded me whereas I had developed body dysmorphia and an eating disorder. I lost a lot of hair, felt I was still fat if not fatter, and would replace food with intense workouts.

Fast forward to a few months later I went through a stressful time that inhibited me from working out and eventually I gained all the weight back (no surprise). I was depressed at the time but now take it as another chance to go about it correctly.

I started 3 months ago on this journey at 81 kgs with plans to lose up to 15-20 kgs over a span of 1-2 years. I want to take it slow and do it right. I decided to space my weigh ins across months and not weeks to not develop an obsession. I work out also only 3 days a week with a 30 minute cardio warm up and a 40-60 minute strength training program, so I do legs one day, arms another, and finally abs on the third. I started with a caloric intake of 1400 but after the first two months have bumped it up to around 1550 after I started noticing visible muscles. My carbs intake is 180g, protein 72g, and fat 48g which I stick to religiously.

So today I weighed myself to see my weight has hardly budged. I've lost around 1.3 inches around my waist and my legs (I admit my favorite part to workout) have definitely toned up as have my glutes. My face is slimmer and my arms have become a bit defined. But the number on the scale is discouraging me. I know I can get it much lower but I don't want to go down that unhealthy spiral again. I like my regime, I like taking it slow, and I've noticed the time has given me a chance to develop a palate for healthy foods where I hardly need/have a cheat day more than once every two months!

It's just with my past body dysmorphia, I'm not sure if I really am going in the right direction or I'm delusional and haven't lost anything. Should I make changes? My goals include losing weight + toning up. I want to be fit and healthy.

Hi I am in a similer position to you and just posted about recently changing my mindset about weight loss. I've done the same as you lost weight in a crazy unhealthy way with all kinds of issues with food and body image and its hard when you get good feedback for doing something ultimately damaging to your body. I agree with the other posters that you have to focus on the changes you do see rather than on the scale because doing weight loss right means the scale goes down slower but its healthier. So take progress pics every months and your measurements to give you multiple ways to guage your success rather than focusing on the scale and read up on TDEE and Body Recomposition if you haven't already as researching those really opened my eyes to how to do this sustainably.

I am not asking for anyone here to "get me to the right mindset". I'm asking for constructive advice on my current program, with what I've written on my past experience to be taken into consideration.

You wouldn’t have to ask if you would chill your mind. You’re making the progress you want, why change? You said it yourself that it’s the scale that has sent you into doubt and making you question if you’re delusional. The scale shouldn’t have the power to override your happiness and pleasure with what you’re doing. It’s worth seeing someone. What caused you to starve and then put it back on when stress hit hasn’t gone away, it’s still there, it will surface again. Take care of it or you’ll be back in a year in the same place. This is constructive advice.

Hi I am in a similer position to you and just posted about recently changing my mindset about weight loss. I've done the same as you lost weight in a crazy unhealthy way with all kinds of issues with food and body image and its hard when you get good feedback for doing something ultimately damaging to your body. I agree with the other posters that you have to focus on the changes you do see rather than on the scale because doing weight loss right means the scale goes down slower but its healthier. So take progress pics every months and your measurements to give you multiple ways to guage your success rather than focusing on the scale and read up on TDEE and Body Recomposition if you haven't already as researching those really opened my eyes to how to do this sustainably.

I'm glad that someone can relate and I will definitely have a look at your post! I'm doing that as well taking pictures and taking videos recapping of all the positives and negatives I'm encountering as I go.

Right now my question would be if after another 3 months I don't see changes, is that a need to change? Could I have hit a plateau? I mean yes pictures and measurements will be there but I assume the scale will need to budge eventually if I'm supposedly going about it correct. I mean, is it too early to ask for a plan if that situation were to arise?

But thank you for your response and yes I will continue to go about things the same way for now.

I'm glad that someone can relate and I will definitely have a look at your post! I'm doing that as well taking pictures and taking videos recapping of all the positives and negatives I'm encountering as I go.

Right now my question would be if after another 3 months I don't see changes, is that a need to change? Could I have hit a plateau? I mean yes pictures and measurements will be there but I assume the scale will need to budge eventually if I'm supposedly going about it correct. I mean, is it too early to ask for a plan if that situation were to arise?

But thank you for your response and yes I will continue to go about things the same way for now.

It sounds like you are doing a fair amount of strength training....which is great! It is possible that your body is recomposing itself and burning fat while gaining muscle. Especially if you are a "noob", which is seems like you are. I think you are totally on the right track. Losing more than an inch while not losing weight proves that you have lost fat and gained muscle. That is exactly what you should want.

If you want to lose more fat, try upping your protein intake and lowering your carbs. This will help maintain muscle while you strength train, and it will burn a few more calories through the thermal effect of food (more calories to process protein than other macros). Hopefully you can then lose only fat and keep or even gain muscle at the same time.

If you feel it things moving fast enough, then you should decrease calories or exercise more. But honestly....this is a marathon and you should be less focused on how long it takes you to get to your goal and more focused on embracing your new lifestyle. If it takes longer than you originally thought, it doesn't really matter. If this is a truly a new lifestyle for you, then you will eventually meet your goals and probably surpass them.

Waist measurement at the Navel is the best gauge of fatloss. The scale has way too many variables. Just take the part of your body around the midsection where you store the most fat and keep detailed measurements and that will tell you how you're doing. The average is about 5-7 lbs of fatloss for every 1 inch of reduction on that measurement

It sounds like you are doing a fair amount of strength training....which is great! It is possible that your body is recomposing itself and burning fat while gaining muscle. Especially if you are a "noob", which is seems like you are. I think you are totally on the right track. Losing more than an inch while not losing weight proves that you have lost fat and gained muscle. That is exactly what you should want.

If you want to lose more fat, try upping your protein intake and lowering your carbs. This will help maintain muscle while you strength train, and it will burn a few more calories through the thermal effect of food (more calories to process protein than other macros). Hopefully you can then lose only fat and keep or even gain muscle at the same time.

If you feel it things moving fast enough, then you should decrease calories or exercise more. But honestly....this is a marathon and you should be less focused on how long it takes you to get to your goal and more focused on embracing your new lifestyle. If it takes longer than you originally thought, it doesn't really matter. If this is a truly a new lifestyle for you, then you will eventually meet your goals and probably surpass them.

Sounds like you are making very good progress already.

Thank you so much! I actually would be willing to bump up my protein intake but I'm not sure how to do so. For example, for breakfast I'd usually have a small bowl of cereal/oatmeal and throughout the day maybe one fruit and a pack of wheat crackers (with peanut butter spread). Dinner I can control since I usually have lots of baked chicken with vegetables, but I don't know what protein substitutes I can have for the others. Do you have any suggestions?

Waist measurement at the Navel is the best gauge of fatloss. The scale has way too many variables. Just take the part of your body around the midsection where you store the most fat and keep detailed measurements and that will tell you how you're doing. The average is about 5-7 lbs of fatloss for every 1 inch of reduction on that measurement

Thank you! How often would you recommend I take measurements (e. g. Daily?) and how soon can I expect to see results through these measurements that doesn't indicate too fast or too slow of a progres?

Thank you so much! I actually would be willing to bump up my protein intake but I'm not sure how to do so. For example, for breakfast I'd usually have a small bowl of cereal/oatmeal and throughout the day maybe one fruit and a pack of wheat crackers (with peanut butter spread). Dinner I can control since I usually have lots of baked chicken with vegetables, but I don't know what protein substitutes I can have for the others. Do you have any suggestions?

Get a high quality whey protein powder. Most people can only hit their protein goals by supplementing whey protein into their diets. I also eat oatmeal many mornings. What I do is make a batch of plain steel cut oats, and then I mix in a few scoops of protein powder (usually vanilla), add some cinnamon and top it off with 12 almonds. I weight them out in individual containers and then freeze them. All I have to do is take them out the night before and then microwave in the morning. It tastes great.
If you have a sweet tooth, go get a box of protein bars. Quest or the Kirkland (Costco) brands have lots of fiber which basically gives you less net carbs you are eating. You won't mistake these for a Snickers, but they are pretty good and after a while you won't know the difference. I have one almost every afternoon.

Just by adding those two things a day, you are probably adding 50 grams of protein.
Also, take bigger portions of meat and veggies with dinner and just have a small amount of rice or potato or whatever your starch is. I am talking like 60 to 100 grams of starch with dinner, the rest should be carbs from veggies and a lean meat like chicken breast, fish, lean beef.

Trust me, by eating that much protein, you won't feel as hungry and you will probably eat less. Just make sure to try to keep your fiber intake high (just to keep things moving, if you know what I mean). If you have trouble with fiber, go get a fiber powder that you can add to your protein shake.

And of course, keep your calories at or below your goal. Weight all your food so you know how much you are putting in your body and keep exercising. Estimating food amounts almost always leads to over eating.
Hopefully that helps!

Get a high quality whey protein powder. Most people can only hit their protein goals by supplementing whey protein into their diets. I also eat oatmeal many mornings. What I do is make a batch of plain steel cut oats, and then I mix in a few scoops of protein powder (usually vanilla), add some cinnamon and top it off with 12 almonds. I weight them out in individual containers and then freeze them. All I have to do is take them out the night before and then microwave in the morning. It tastes great.
If you have a sweet tooth, go get a box of protein bars. Quest or the Kirkland (Costco) brands have lots of fiber which basically gives you less net carbs you are eating. You won't mistake these for a Snickers, but they are pretty good and after a while you won't know the difference. I have one almost every afternoon.

Just by adding those two things a day, you are probably adding 50 grams of protein.
Also, take bigger portions of meat and veggies with dinner and just have a small amount of rice or potato or whatever your starch is. I am talking like 60 to 100 grams of starch with dinner, the rest should be carbs from veggies and a lean meat like chicken breast, fish, lean beef.

Trust me, by eating that much protein, you won't feel as hungry and you will probably eat less. Just make sure to try to keep your fiber intake high (just to keep things moving, if you know what I mean). If you have trouble with fiber, go get a fiber powder that you can add to your protein shake.

And of course, keep your calories at or below your goal. Weight all your food so you know how much you are putting in your body and keep exercising. Estimating food amounts almost always leads to over eating.
Hopefully that helps!

Thank you for your advice. Honestly that sounds amazing and your diet seems clean and filling. I actually looked up the protein whey with my mind set on buying it but I came across a number of different brands + this stuff is not cheap at all.

How can I make a smart first choice without risking blowing off a lot of money?

Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to beginning any diet or exercise program or taking any dietary supplement. The content on our website is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or to replace a relationship with a qualified healthcare professional.